NYS Music 202​0

Tag: LGBTQ

  • RuPaul’s Drag Race Artists Announce New Years Eve Global Livestream

    On New Year Eve, Producer Entertainment Group (PEG) will host PEG Presents “New Year’s Queens: Goodbye 2020,” with the top sixteen artists from RuPaul’s Drag Race to count down the wild year. Sessions Live will stream the concert event on their website. PEG is a management and creative company behind the world’s biggest drag queens and LGBTQ artists. The broadcast will livestream the countdown from New York and Los Angeles on December 31 at 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET on the Sessions Live platform.

    RuPaul's Drag Race

    The 11-hour event will be hosted by Miz Cracker & Peppermint (New York City), Alaska & Bob The Drag Queen (Los Angeles), and Trixie Mattel & Katya (Los Angeles). The following New Year’s Eve performers include BeBe Zahara Benet, BenDeLaCreme, Boulet Brothers, Divina De Campo, Ginger Minj, Jinkx Monsoon, Jujubee, Manila Luzon, and Sharon Needles.

     We are thrilled to be the exclusive host for The Marathon New Year’s Eve Livestream. This promises to be the most interactive, most global and certainly the most colorful party across every continent and every time zone to ring in the new year. Audiences everywhere will have the opportunity to enjoy and engage with a talented lineup of drag artists from around the world.

    Tim Westergren, Co-Founder of Sessions

    RuPaul’s Drag Race is a competition show that crowns “America’s Next Drag Superstar” through unique challenges each season. RuPaul along with Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley, Ross Mathews, and other celebrity guest judges measure each of the contenders. RuPaul’s Drag Race has won a total of 19 Primetime Emmy Awards, including six this year including “Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Competition Program” and “Outstanding Competition Program.” The 12th season of the show concluded this May with Jaida Essence Hall as the winner. Ticket prices for “New Year’s Queens: Goodbye 2020” start at $39 with interactive VIP Package options with 11 out of the 16 artists from the show.

    Click here to buy tickets

    RuPaul's Drag Race

  • Autumn Nicholas Strives to Make a Difference Through Music

    Autumn Nicholas, a soul-pop singer-songwriter from Raleigh, NC, is a talented young musician that makes her listeners only want more. Growing up with a father who played drums and a brother who played guitar, music was always prevalent in her family; however, Nicholas never thought she would make a career out of it.

    Autumn Nicholas
    Autumn Nicholas Promo

    To say Nicholas is passionate about her music is an understatement. Not only is she passionate about her music, but she is passionate about making a difference in our society. She strives to make her music unique and relevant, singing about love and loss as well as hope and pain—which has been very pertinent in today’s civilization.

    Recently inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter and LBGTQ marches, her new single “Side by Side” shows both the positive and negative sides of these movements in hopes to try and get people to stand up and take action. She says the single “is focused on how we are all uniquely beautiful, beyond our gender, circumstance, and skin, no one more than the other.” Autumn Nicholas is proud to be and sing about her sexuality. The gay, biracial artist stands out among other young artists because she sings about her own life in a way that can relate to anyone. She also sings to the masses where she offers inspiring messages through her lyrics and gives her listeners something to think about.

    I can’t understand why we all just keep taking sides

    Why can’t we sympathize?

    If we really care about each other’s lives

    Then let’s go and make it right

    Standing side by side for equal rights

    Autumn Nicholas – ‘Side by Side’ Single

    Both the song’s lyrics and production capture her goal of coming together as people to stand up for what is right. “I want it to focus less on me and more on the words and the art and the community,” said Nicholas. She even said the official music video of ‘Side by Side’ was rushed because they had to make it before the artwork was taken down, and that there will be a second version of the song that shows even more street art as well as other artists of different races from around the world.

    When performing her song live, she starts by talking about #BlackLivesMatter and how it relates to her song. “It grabs the attention and captures the importance of those words,” She explains, “it is deeper than that – it’s about equal rights and LGBT, but it ties in as a whole to unity, something during these times we do not have a lot of, especially since we are feeling like we’re trapped in our homes, like we are divided, whether it’s by sickness or by color. I hope this song can bring some unity to our time period.” In times like these, Nicholas wants to bring hope to our world, something in which our world needs right now.

    Autumn Nicholas is also in the process of developing a clothing line titled Unbrand.d where their motto is “No Genre. No Gender. No Rules.” She wishes to create a style that can be worn by anyone no matter the gender. Her first item from the brand is a T-Shirt in which the proceeds will go to a food bank.

    Not only will Nicholas continue to show the world her vibrant personality and talents, but she will continue sending the messages of unity and equality in her second EP Shades of Beige coming out this November.

  • Ruby Mack: The Feminist Folk Band’s Unique Debut

    Ruby Mack, a new all-female folk band, already makes waves and questions society as we know it with their debut album Devil Told Me, out on October 23.

    Photo credit Gianna Colson

    In their new album, feminist folk ensemble Ruby Mack turns a traditional bible story completely on its head. What if Eve had eaten the Garden of Eden’s forbidden fruit without shame and then shared her knowledge with the world? In Devil Told Me, Ruby Mack tell their story as direct descendants from that Eve.

    Named after Massachuttes’ Pioneer Valley’s Ruby McIntosh Apple, Ruby Mack is made up of Emma Ayres (Vocals/guitar), Abbie Duquette (bass uke), Zoe Young (guitar/vocals), and Abs Kahler (fiddle). In their upcoming album, these strong musicians dig deeper into what it really means to be a woman, or even to reject this label. Devil Told Me closely examines several stories, mythologies, and societal norms that we have been taught to accept without question. These feminists will push social boundaries aside with the release of their album on October 23.

    Ruby Mack

    Ruby Mack’s music explores topics left unsaid in traditional folk music. The group tells in “Breadwinner” that they want to be the relationship’s provider as women. The softer “Milktooth” encourages listeners to become fully themselves despite rigid societal rules. The song expresses developing and growing up. “It’s about rejecting the ways in which we are initially told who we are and what we are” notes guitar-vocalist Ayres with the lyrics “Always fighting in this civil war/ Since the devil told me I was born a girl.”

    Ruby Mack has come into their own in Massachusetts. “I definitely found my identity as a musician in this place,” Duquette expresses. “The support encouragement I found in the area made me feel like I too could be an artist.” The group has felt united with the music culture of the area. “There’s such an amazing culture of folk music in the valley”, says Kahler, “and we’ve been inspired by so many queer folk artists here.” The band claims their corner of Pioneer Valley, MA area as one of the strongest inspirations for Devil Told Me.

    Ruby Mack
    Photo credit Gianna Colson

    Listeners can appreciate this album even more today while missing concerts due to COVID-19. The tracks were recorded in an old church, and each song has a strong live feel to it, demanding attention with its energy. Young explains that it was important for the album “to have that special magic of a collaborative performance,” and the result does not disappoint.

    The four friends have passionately worked together to create something both beautiful and impactful, starring memorable harmonies and strings as well as poignant lyrics. Farce The Music released a single from the album, “Machine Man,” which is available now. Kahler calls it “an ode to the blue-collar workers, the skilled laborers, without whom the fabric of the lives we live would surely unravel.”

    Preorder Devil Told Me now, and listen when it releases on October 23.

  • Nicolas McCoppin “Remember the Night” pays homage to LGBTQ and Black communities

    Up-and-coming LGBTQ artist Nicolas McCoppin has released the new song “Remember That Night” that recalls his first queer relationship just in time for Pride Month. Co-written with Krysta Youngs and produced by Nick Trapani, the song is about McCoppin’s memories driving down the beach, staring at the stars, and walking down Arthur Avenue in the Bronx with his love interest.

    Nicolas McCoppin

    Continuing the streak of 80s-inspired dance-pop explored in McCoppin’s previous singles, the song is reminiscent of other pop artists with strong LGBTQ fanbases such as Charli XCX, Hayley Kiyoko, and Troye Sivan. “Remember That Night” shares their catchy melodies, danceable beats, and romantic lyrics, making it a natural pride anthem.

    Pride isn’t the only social movement associated with the song, though. In light of the Black Lives Matter movement and protests against police brutality, McCoppin is donating proceeds from “Remember That Night” to the Black Trans Femmes in the Arts Association, a collective made up of Black trans artists, activists, and educators helping protesters with resources, medical care, and bail. On Twitter he shared that he tried to postpone the song’s release, but since it wasn’t possible he decided to donate the proceeds instead.

    “This song’s concept is a puzzle piece of a bigger idea from my debut EP,” McCoppin said. “I’m so excited to finally have this song out in the world.” “Remember That Night” is the third single off the debut EP from Nicolas McCoppin, due out later this summer.

  • Virtual Cabaret Announced in Celebration of Pride

    June usually marks a month of LGBTQ+ celebration with parades, festivals, musical events, talks, and etc but due to COVID-19 a lot of the normal festivities aren’t going to be possible this year. Luckily though, CNY Pride (Central New York Pride) isn’t letting this stop them from creating a way for members of the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate. CNY Pride is throwing a Virtual Pride Cabaret on June 20 from 7:30PM to 9PM. 

    The virtual cabaret celebration will happen via Zoom on the original date of CNY Pride’s Pride Festival. The cabaret will include an array of different performers from their original line-up for the festival. From musical performances, to drag performances, to belly dancing, the cabaret will have a little bit of everything for everyone. 

    The line-up includes Samantha Vega who will be hosting the event. Burlesque Performers Kitten N’ Lou who will be headlining. Amara Lee Dúpree, Athens Violet-Maraj, Celeste LeRue, Charlotte Diamond Star, Frita Lay, and Sparkle Royale will be performing Drag. Belly Dancer Tessa TrueHeart will be performing. Cabaret Fan Dancer Harlow Holiday will also be on the docket. Solo Musician Nicholas DiMaria and Vocalist Robert Denzel Edwards will also be making an appearance. 

    For more information on the virtual cabaret celebration visit CNY Pride’s Website.